Hot off the Kitchen Press
This weeks food news is a tasty one with a new home for The Big Blue Bus, Sister Seven soaring, festivals to book ahead and lots more...
Fresh ingredients:
News & stuff I’m excited about
The Big Blue Bus, a foodie favourite announced this week they were on the move from Avon in Blessington to a brand new location (so no it’s not the Bernard Shaw 🥲) but I do know where it will be and it’s a great spot! From Thursday, May 9th you can have your fill of their pizza at O’Sheas Corner in Wicklow Town.
The brand new Sister Seven food offering from the Big Fan team in the extended Fidelity has gotten off to a great start with a glowing review from Corinna Hardgrave in the Irish Times. She awarded them a solid 4.5 out of five saying that it ‘ticks every box with its delicious, creative food in a great room’. Book ahead is my advice I tried for a walk-in early doors on Thursday and they were already filled up for the evening. You love to see it.
In Galway, Aniar reopened after a refurbishment. Chef and restauranteur JP McMahon wanted to update the space to better ‘reflect the ethos and style of the west-of-Ireland-inspired food allowing for a more immersive dining experience for guests’. It certainly looks the part 🤩
Huge congratulations to Goldie chef Aishling Moore on her first book Whole Catch published this week - it’s full of beautiful fin-to-tail fish recipes and gorgeous illustrations by Nicky Hooper and available now from Blasta Books and book shops around the country.
There have been a lot of great reports about Tacos Lupillo in Kilmainham but did you know they’ve got a second spot now in Lucan? Find them every Tuesday at Seasons on the Weir 4 - 9 pm.
Cheese lovers take note - the winners of the CÁIS 2024 Irish Cheese Awards were announced this week with Cork’s Hegarty’s Cheese taking home the Supreme Champion awards for their ‘Templegall Extra Mature’ - check out the rest of the very deserving winners here.
The French Champion Awards also happened this week, organised by Business France and the French government trade agency, to recognise and honour outstanding contributions of Irish businesses in promoting and showcasing French produce. Big congrats to the lovely ICIAIR in Blackrock who were crowned Best Delicatessen in Ireland.
The Ballymaloe Festival of Food is fast approaching and there are some brilliant events over the weekend. I just booked a dinner with Lee & Kate Tiernan from Black Axe Mangal, FKABAM and on the Friday of the festival, I’ll be chatting about all things Pint-related at the Drinks Theatre with Colm McCann. Tickets & details here: https://www.ballymaloegrainstore.com/ballymaloe-festival-of-food
There’s been a bit of market drama in Dublin since the end of Honest2Goodness Market at Slaney Close was announced but the good news is there are now two markets to visit. Some of the traders you can still find at Glasnevin Food Market on 13 Blackwater Rd and some others you’ll find at Dublin Artisan Market, 16 Carton Rd, Ballymun.
Mark Moriarty will be back on our TV screens next week his latest season of ‘Off Duty Chef’ starts on RTÉ Wednesday, May 1st.
The Collector, a speciality coffee shop in Kinsale, have announced they will soon be extending hours into the evenings and introducing no/low-alcoholic cocktails and drinks.
The Imperial Hotel Cork has launched a new themed package inspired by the hit series of novels and TV show Bridgerton, find out more and book here.
A new release for the fancy whiskey fans - Adare Manor Midleton Very Rare Single Cask- the fifth release in its long-term partnership with Midleton Distillery. Buy it at the manor or online for a mere €3,000 per bottle!
If fancy chocolate is more your thing check out the Paula Pastry Dessert Experience at Ashford Castle. Guests join executive pastry chef Paula Stakelum, otherwise known as Paula Pastry, for a hands-on dessert-making, chocolate experience and tasting. It costs €250 per person and you can book via reservations@ashfordcastle.com or visit www.ashfordcastle.com for more information.
Table Talk:
Where and what I’ve eaten this week
I'm bidding farewell to Maynooth soon after nearly four years and while I'm excited about my new neighbourhood, I'll miss having Carton House nearby. Walking the grounds here kept me sane in lockdown and now they seem to have finally nailed their fine dining experience. Chef Adam Nevin, a Maynooth native, joined the team a few months back and has really upped the offering in The Morrison Room restaurant. The room itself is stunning, steeped in history and the nine-course tasting menu (€140) paired with wines (€95) was great. Highlights included, raw Irish scallop with rhubarb, ex-dairy beef with fresh Irish wasabi and a blood orange pre-dessert that tasted like a posh Super Split ice pop. They also offer a more affordable Sunday lunch at €65 for three courses.
(This was a press invite, I was a guest of Host PR & Carton House)
Moving on to something a little more casual I finally got to A Fianco in Stoneybatter yesterday, the sister bar to Grano. The food here was sensational - a real taste of Italy in Dublin and a stellar wine list to go with it. I cannot stop thinking about the Maritozzo, stracciatella e alici (below) - a bun filled with stracciatella cheese and Cantabrian anchovies. Divine. I thought it was great value at less than €90 (before tip) for 2 people for a bottle of nice wine and 5 sharing dishes.
Dates for the Diary:
Tasty things to book ahead
Wine lovers should check out Hannah Crosbie's 'Corker' Book Launch at Hen’s Teeth next Wednesday, May 1st. Hannah is known for her approachable and informal wine guidance and also known as ‘the Nigella of Wine’.
Plugging my own event here! But I’m very excited about this one. I’ll be at the International Literature Festival Dublin on Friday May 24th chatting Pints, Pubs and Poets with Donal Fallon & Aoife Carrigy. More deets & tickets available here.
Blas Na Gaillimhe – (A Taste of Galway) is food network & festival that celebrates Galway's unique year-round hospitality and is kickstarting a month of deliciousness in May. Blas na Bealtaine will celebrate people and food from across the globe and Galway. Check out their diverse lineup of workshops, talks, and events including a pop-up oyster bar at Aniar and Connemara food tours. See the full lineup here:
Culture Date with Dublin 8 is coming up in May and there are some fun food and drink-related events including a Spirit of the Liberties Tour with Roe & Co and local tour guide Karl Deery and there’s a Dublin coffee-making event with Teelings
Jess Murphy from Kai is hosting what sounds like a very fun Cook Book Club dinner with pasta maker Tony Carelli. Book tickets here.
Dublin Cookery School have announced a whopper summer timetable including barbecue classes and summer cookery camps for teens. See the full lineup here:
One to add to the calendar Cork on a Fork Fest is happening 14-18 August all around Cork City. Details of the full programme will be announced next month on corkonaforkfest.ie
Mountain View Market in Kilkenny is hosting a weekend called Foodie Fest with lots of events planned including 'Dinner with the Masterchefs' on Saturday, May 4th at 7 pm. Find out more here: https://www.foodiefest.ie/
It’s lights out at The K Club for a special sustainable Dine in the Dark dinner on Friday 17th May which they hope will ‘encourage mindfulness in our food and wine choices, all of which impact the environment on both a local and global scale’. Find out more and book here: https://www.kclub.ie/dining.html
Petit Fours:
Sweet bits to watch, listen, read or obsess over etc.
I had a great chat about all things Irish food with Fallon from Blas na hÉireann and you can have a listen here:
Save this for your next NYC trip
These wallpapers 🤩
Pickle chive mustard butter in a baguette? Yes please
Thank you for reading and subscribing! I hope you enjoyed my updates this week. I must of course mention that my book, A Compendium of Irish Pints, will be published in a matter of weeks 🤭 if you would like to preorder please do from Nine Bean Rows or an indie book shop. GRMA x